arm recovered a sudden freedom of movement. That night when my mother
went to Yamashiro-ya to apologize, she brought back that sleeve.

Besides the above, I did many other mischiefs. With Kaneko of a
carpenter shop and Kaku of a fishmarket, I once ruined a carrot patch of
one Mosaku. The sprouts were just shooting out and the patch was covered
with straws to ensure their even healthy growth. Upon this straw-covered
patch, we three wrestled for fully half a day, and consequently
thoroughly smashed all the sprouts. Also I once filled up a well which
watered some rice fields owned by one Furukawa, and he followed me with
kicks. The well was so devised that from a large bamboo pole, sunk deep
into the ground, the water issued and irrigated the rice fields.
Ignorant of the mechanical side of this irrigating method at that time,
I stuffed the bamboo pole with stones and sticks, and satisfied that no
more water came up, I returned home and was eating supper when Furukawa,
fiery red with anger, burst into our house with howling protests. I
believe the affair was settled on our paying for the damage.

Father did not like me in the least, and mother always sided with my big
brother. This brother's face was palish white, and he had a fondness for
taking the part of an actress at the theatre.

"This fellow will never amount to much," father used to remark when
he saw me.

"He's so reckless that I worry about his future," I often heard mother
say of me. Exactly; I have never amounted to much. I am just as you see
me; no wonder my future used to cause anxiety to my mother. I am living
without becoming but a jailbird.